THE
GRAVEYARD SHIFT
(Confessions
of a Taphophile)
"Show
me your cemeteries, and I will tell you what kind of people you have."
-Benjamin Franklin
THE
GRAVEYARD SHIFT |
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"Show
me your cemeteries, and I will tell you what kind of people you have."
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One of my interests may seem odd, so I should explain. I am a taphophile. Which means I enjoy visiting cemeteries and studying tombstones. It's not for weird or morbid reasons. As a child, I went to family reunions that were held at a cemetery that dates back in my family to the 1850's. On those days, my cousins and I played among the tombstones. So growing up, I didn't think of cemeteries as scary, dark places. As I got older and developed an interest in genealogy, I first went back to that same cemetery to begin my research. From there, I visited other cemeteries. As I photographed graves for my research, I also began to take photos of other stones I found intriguing. |
I began to combine my love of history and my enjoyment of photography with visiting historic cemeteries. It's amazing how much you can find out about a place by discovering the history of the people buried there. I don't look at the hobby as being morbid or creepy. I've been able to build on my family tree as well as help others with theirs. Each cemetery is like an outdoor museum and it's taught me a lot. It's a very quiet, solitary pastime which I enjoy. If you are visiting one of the larger, historic cemeteries, many offer guided tours. As I've discovered, there are many other people who also enjoy "graving." It's becoming a less "strange" hobby. "Lives
are commemorated - deaths are recorded - families are reunited - memories
are made tangible - and love is undisguised. This is a cemetery." |
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The contents of Beyond The
Palace, including photos and text, may not be used without permission.
The photos and text of Beyond The Palace are copyrighted, all rights reserved. They may not be used or removed without permission. The fact that they are distributed via the internet does NOT release them from their creator's copyright privilege. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED This page was created by and is the property of Zeny. Copyright 2006 (including copyrighted photos
from 1980-2006.) |
